Sonoma Brings a Breath of Fresh Air

ATLANTA – crisp wind accompanying salt water scent greets NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams ty land San Francisco/Oakland aa road course race Sonoma, Calif., offers breath fresh air.

The ability left layout sends drivers dn hills, th tight corners quick switchbacks offers teams proverbial breath fresh air, Sonoma antithesis bread-and-butter ovals me majority Sprint Cup schedule.

For Tony Stewart, driver No. 20 Home Depot Toyota Joe Gibbs Racing, Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350k 10-turn, 1.99-mile road course Sonoma provides reprieve fm frustrations he running current-generation race car turbulent wake “dirty air” cars ad him.

Aerodynamics Sonoma tn ty Michigan International Speedway Brooklyn, site Sunday’s Sprint Cup race we Stewart posted solid fifth-place result. top-five effort appreciated, especially enduring finishes 18th worse races preceded Michigan, Stewart fought ill-handling race car lap ad 2-mile oval me en me fitful pockets air created cars ad him.

That’s Sonoma, we passes out-braking, out-accelerating ps importantly, out-willing one’s competitors.

Stewart driven Home Depot machine corners deeper, hit throttle harder willed road course wins Sprint Cup, including series’ lt road course race Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International August 2007. wins ce Sonoma, including Stewart’s ft career road course win 2001. Sonoma win Stewart’s sd championship season 2005, wn driver No. 20 scored career win No. 20.

Perhaps reason aerodynamics aren’t issue Stewart road courses be he’s ahead competition there’s dirty air worry about. Stewart started rows times 18 career road course races Sprint Cup, qualified outside top-10 jt te times. He’s finished top-two et times, top-10 12 times led total 256 laps. average road course finish eighth, finishes outside top-15.

Winless reaching Watkins Glen’s victory lane lt August – span 29 races – Stewart views Sonoma breath fresh air ns log ft win 2008 33rd career.

Tony Stewart, driver No. 20 Home Depot Toyota Joe Gibbs Racing:

With road course wins, feel br opportunity win road course se oval tracks visit?

“It’s definitely pe feel we’ve potential win, be me single lap.”

How mh look forward racing road courses?

“I love road courses. It’s nice breaks monotony season. week it’s nice road course races thrown mix tt chance sg little bit off-center us. It’s le ‘Prelude’ dirt added, unless drive off, lot do. sl dirt aspect it, guess.”

Do run road course race run oval, tt wn run oval le swath time middle race we conserve plan yr strategy lt 100 miles? able conserve dg road course race, hard lap?

“You he play race strategy out. It’s sh track tt guys don’t lap easily ty oval. run hard stay ahead everybody. wn yf position we easy equipment, especially tires, tt opportunity, run, lot times that’ll yr favor. car’s right, can’t jt kp pushing it, ee you’ll drive tires it.”

Do consider yf contender ey road course race?

“I look forward trip we’ve luck there. listen Robby Gordon, fastest car yr passed drove race, guess missed orange car him. fastest car, doubt. jt bit fuel mileage that’s it. disappointing, left knowing tt de jobs fast race car bit circumstance tt couldn’t control.”

You Jeff Gordon ones beat road courses, it’s winning, it’s typically him. battle Watkins Glen emblematic that, led times 20 laps led times 51 gg course we pressured lead. feel there’s mutual respect accomplished road courses?

“I battle Sonoma ys ago. Jeff broke transmission day, gd battle nr saving ag point. importance lead or car point. that’s what’s fun. It’s fun race Jeff. mean, day lt yr Glen laps ahead Jeff cd drive little bit – makes feel good, kw you’re outrunning that’s been. time tt run Jeff le that, he confidence race him. nr close moments eh or day. raced wh respect that’s makes racing wh Jeff fun. outrun Jeff excellent job. You’re bk win wh Jeff there.

“There’s mutual respect. There’s me racing tg jt winning races trophies prize money. There’s day quit driving it’s relationships me ag way, you’re gg he battles rivalries wh guys tt strong competitors you, know, that’s expected. se time, there’s huge admiration respect race guys that, too. tk bh realize that.”

People deal road course “ringers” tt tend road course races Sprint Cup schedule. straight decades road course racing NASCAR – specifically ys road course racing NASCAR – sh anymore road course ringer?

“No, all. look guys he run wl road courses lt couple it’s Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick. Te hasn’t road course ringer win race yet, don’t tt equation gs write about. he beat se guys he bn winning, look stats stats tell you’ve beat there.”

What win Sonoma?

“You’ve he handling car. Aerodynamics bit Sonoma, gt be it’s tracks tt don’t he worry aero balance that. It’s matter keeping well-balanced car day pit stops pit strategy staying trouble.

“A lot happen Sonoma. You’ve patient day. lot cautions te lot guys beating banging other. mean, cars look they’ve race Martinsville (Va.) be it’s short road course. Save tt car 20 laps be that’s critical time. th 90 laps, lt 20 ones ry go, yr car piece me happen.”